Customer Reviews

Hopalong Cassidy Radio Program

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Bearmanor Media presents "JINGLE OF THE SILVER SPURS: THE HOPALONG CASSIDY RADIO PROGRAM", by Bernard A. Drew --- The Hopalong Cassidy Radio Show starring William Boyd and Andy Clyde premiered on January 1st 1950 --- The series was well produced with interesting stories, complemented by good writing, acting and sound effects --- Andy Clyde who had played Hoppy's side-kick, California Carlson in the 40's western films joined William Boyd on the sound stage --- California, who had developed his own loyal following via the movie series, brought that same "grizzled charm" to the microphone --- The warm of the relationship between Hoppy and California was a feature of the series whilst loyalty and good citizenry were the cornerstone of the values espoused by this unlikely pair --- Often the stories were of trouble shrouded in mystery, and the listener was not privy to the culprit's identity until the end, making it a true cowboy detective show - and almost every story ended with Hoppy's boisterous laugh!

The ring of the silver spurs heralds the most amazin' man ever to ride the prairies of the early West --- Who is that man? Hopalong Cassidy, of course --- This cowboy hero, dressed all in black, is as straight as an arrow --- He is well mannered, doesn't drink or smoke, and believes in justice --- Saddle up for 10 full hours with William Boyd, the same Hoppy you cheer in pictures, and Andy Clyde, the same California you've laughed at a thousand times --- When these two ride out from the Bar-20 Ranch, there's always "plenty of action that spells trouble!"

Hopalong Cassidy was the success story of 1950, a commercial juggernaut that defied all reason to become a radio triumph of its day --- It was the making of Commodore Productions, who alone felt that a radio show could be built around the Hopalong Cassidy character, as played by William Boyd in the 30's and 40s B Western films --- Boyd had a unique voice, radiating power and authority - and his signature belly laugh was famous throughout the world --- Also, the Hoppy character had a no-nonsense demeanor: he was steel eyed and quick on the draw, and he meted out justice without the endless warbling and sugar coated romance that came with other cowboy radio shows --- He became a hero in black and on a white horse - a super hero of the West --- He rescued damsels and cowboys in trouble, along with ranchers and bankers and railroad owners, always against the bad guys - robbers, thieves, rustlers and the like.

"JINGLE OF THE SILVER SPURS" examines the Mutual, and later CBS, networks series, its background, its producers, its performers, its writers, its sponsors, its story lines, its merchandising in detail seldom seen in histories of old-time radio shows --- Illustrations include rare advertisements, photographs and press kits --- Foreword by Western author, Loren D. Estleman.

Deep in the saddlebags that contain all the Hopalong Cassidy prose, motion picture, comic book and newspaper comic strip stories there are often forgotten nuggets: 104 half-hour radio adventures which hold up as well today as when they were first broadcast in 1950-52 --- Unfortunately Andy Clyde was unavailable for a time and Joe du Val took over the role of California for 26 episodes which were broadcast from and including "The Sundown Kid" (7/02/1951) until "The Golden Lure" (12/30/1951) --- Andy was back though for the remainder of the series commencing with the 1951-01-06 episode: "The Case of the Last Word" (1/06/1951) - - - - - - Note: During the du Val run, Andy did appear as California in the Xmas show "The Santa Claus Rustlers" (12/23/1950) --- All of the episodes survive and are available in audio tape and MP3 formats for the avid collector or casual listener --- It ran for 104 episodes, each of 30 minutes duration.

Table of Contents (Chapter, Title and Page Numbers)
IN THE SADDLEBAG
Foreword by Loren D. Estleman - 1
Rider on a White Horse - 2
Clarence E. Mulford Brands the Bar-20 - 3
A Calculated Risk - 9
Slow Trail To A Radio Show - 11
By Mutual Agreement - 15
Voices Out of the Speaker - 21
Pards Solve Rangeland Crime - 26
Stagecoach Robbery Near Ten Strike - 30
Forecast Audition Program for CBS, 1941 - 35
Mutual Network Hopalong Cassidy Series, 1950 - 37
CBS Network Hopalong Cassidy Series, 1950-1952 - 60
Further Radio Adventures - 95
Hoppy Draws His 78s - 98
Songs For Hoppy - 101
Vinyl Roundup - 104
Afterword by Bernard A. Drew - 106
Sources - 110
Appendix A: Radio Promotion From United Artists ... Theater Manual, 1942 - 115
Appendix B: Radio Publicity Kit, 1949 - 118
Index - 135

Here is a glimpse at the Author's Biography --- Bernard A. Drew (BA, English, Northeastern University) is a copy editor for the "Lakeville Journal", a weekly newspaper in northwestern Connecticut. He edited the mystery anthology "Hard-Boiled Dames" (St. Martin's Pres, 1986) and has completed four popular fiction reference guides, including "Lawmen in Scarlet: An Annotated Guide to Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Print and Performance" (Scarecrow, 1990). He has also written a number of local Berkshire County history books including "A Berkshire Photo Album" (1999).

Hats off and thanks to Les Adams (collector/guideslines for character identification), Chuck Anderson (Webmaster: The Old Corral/B-Westerns.Com), Boyd Magers (Western Clippings), Bobby J. Copeland (author of "Trail Talk"), Ben Ohmart (Bearmanor Media), Rhonda Lemons (Empire Publishing Inc), Bob Nareau (author of "The Real Bob Steele") and Trevor Scott (Down Under DVD Com) as they have rekindled my interest once again for Film Noir, B-Westerns and Serials - - - "The ring of the silver spurs heralds the most amazin' man ever to ride the prairies of the early West ...." --- just one more thing, all my heroes have been cowboys!

Total Page: 148 Pages ~ Bearmanor Media #ISBN-13: 978-1593930264 ~ (1/30/2005)